Evil dragon has a warm heart
Chapter 511 - 511 509 Niko Needs More (Additional update

Chapter 511: Chapter 509: Niko Needs More (Additional update, request for monthly pass) Chapter 511: Chapter 509: Niko Needs More (Additional update, request for monthly pass) “Beautiful, Niko!” Seeing Niko return home with a new Spirit Insect, Russell was in a particularly good mood.

Although he now had three little spirits, who would complain about having too many spirits?

Besides, he didn’t have that many spirits.

As an Earl like him, the Rainflower Family boasted a Great Spirit, dozens of lesser spirits, and a countless number of Spirit Insects. In comparison, Russell’s spirits were hardly worth mentioning, and since he planned on founding a kingdom in the future, he was in even greater need of spirits.

Therefore, the conception of every Spirit Insect was an important gain for him.

“Yigu!” Niko danced triumphantly in Russell’s hands, without any rhythm, just twisting around wildly.

But such magical creatures as little spirits looked lovely no matter what they did.

“Katie, you’ve worked hard taking care of things recently. Now that the Spirit Insect has been conceived, you can take a couple of days off to wander around,” said Russell, looking at Katie who had escorted Niko back. “By the way, how is your training with Jerry going?”

“It’s almost there, we should be perfectly in sync within half a year,” replied Katie.

Russell nodded. This progress wasn’t slow among Phantom Beast Knights, but given Katie’s exceptional talent for training, it could only be considered average.

The problem lay with the Red-eyed Rat King Jerry. The training of a Phantom Beast Knight was a mutual enhancement process. Jerry’s intelligence was not outstanding, which somewhat held Katie back—though it wasn’t really a hindrance. Not every Phantom Beast held the intelligence of Polly, Hape, or Uroboros.

“Keep up the good training and strive to unlock your second transformation as soon as possible,” Russell encouraged.

Katie acknowledged his encouragement and then took her leave. Russell pricked his fingertip and contracted the newly acquired Tobacco Sprite Bug.

“Yigu.”

“Niko, you’ve observed the entire process of the Spirit Insect’s conception. Have you gained anything?” Russell fed Niko the remaining bit of magical powder from the contract, “You seem quite excited.”.

In fact, ever since that day Niko discovered the gestating Cordyceps, its spirits had been in a state of excitement.

Russell couldn’t help but think that it was about to evolve.

Though he was pleased, he didn’t want Niko to evolve at this time. The reason was simple: the Little Dream Dragon was still asleep.

Without the Little Dream Dragon’s Dragonflame to help, should the evolution process go awry, not only would Niko miss its chance to evolve again, but it could also backlash causing severe damage; at best it would shorten its lifespan, at worst, it could be life-threatening.

Russell once asked Princess Anxia about the secret of a little spirit’s promotion to a Great Spirit.

Just two years ago, a little spirit of the Jian Qiuluo variety at Red Castle successfully evolved into a Great Spirit, named Lechtinis, and Red Castle hosted a grand banquet to celebrate, to which all the nobles of the Grand Duchy were invited.

Princess Anxia detailed to Russell the secret of Great Spirit evolution recorded in Red Castle.

In truth, there wasn’t much of a mystery; each little spirit’s evolution had different precursors, some with no signs at all just started evolving. During the evolution process, little spirits needed some assistance, but the primary factor was the spirit itself.

Dragonflame definitely helped, but it wasn’t an absolute guarantee for a little spirit’s evolution, nor did it mean a spirit couldn’t evolve without it.

When the Jian Qiuluo little spirit evolved, the Shadowflame Dragon was severely wounded and couldn’t provide Dragonflame.

But to everyone’s surprise, after half a month of wild play at Red Castle and even a jaunt to Furious Wind City, that little spirit returned and evolved into a Great Spirit Jian Qiuluo.

“Yigu.” Niko tilted its head, looking at Russell.

In its clear large eyes, a special meaning was written, and then it gestured in a circle with its hands, “Yigu, yigu!”

“What?”

“Yigu!” After thinking for a moment, Niko suddenly picked up a cigar from Russell’s desk and kissed the end of the cigar with its little mouth.

Then it put down the cigar and gestured wildly with its hands.

Russell’s eyes lit up at these motions, “Are you saying you hope that the Rain Dragon Cigars, created with your magical power, can be sold all around the world, and then you’ll be able to evolve?”

“Yigu!” Niko tilted its head and then spread its hands widely, making a grandiose gesture, “Gugu, yigu, yigu!”

As if to say.

Not enough, not enough, Niko needs more!

“I understand!” Although the catalyst for Niko’s evolution was somewhat perplexing, with no clear reason why it should be linked to Rain Dragon Cigars, now that Niko had reached this juncture, Russell was determined to handle the matter with care.

Russell said solemnly, “Niko, I will help you by spreading the sales of Rain Dragon Cigars to the surrounding countries!”

The next day.

He flew directly to Red Castle to see Count Merlin.

“Russell, how’s the development of your territory lately?” Count Merlin asked, looking at Russell with a complex expression in his eyes.

The grandson, who in the past had nothing to boast of but his looks, had now become the foremost individual in the Shadowflame Duchy and was very likely to become the new knight of the Shadowflame Dragon. Such a transformative change had taken place within just three or four years.

“The territory is all well, and I’d like to thank the Rainflower Family for their support,” Russell replied, then went straight to the point, “Grandfather, I’ve come because I need your help with something.”

“What is it?”

“I wish to use the Grand Duchy’s diplomatic channels to send a series of Rain Dragon Cigars to our allies, aiming to expand our trade routes.”

“Just that?” Count Merlin frowned, “Russell, your Rain Dragon Cigars can’t even meet domestic demand. Trade between the two countries has normalized; there’s no need to use cigars to deal with trade exploitation anymore. Why expand further?”

“It’s not for profit, but to help Niko evolve.”

“Niko? Evolve?” Count Merlin’s expression became intense, “Tell me more details, has Niko gotten the chance to evolve into a great sprite?”

“Yes.” Russell briefly explained Niko’s recent changes, “Grandfather, it seems that the expansion of Rain Dragon Cigars has begun to coincide with Niko’s evolution, so I plan to expand our reach so more people can enjoy the magic cigars.”

After listening.

Count Merlin lit a Frost Series Rain Dragon Cigar and said, “Russell, in my opinion, you have misunderstood her intentions.”

“Hmm?”

“I witnessed the evolution of Niko from a Spirit Insect. Before giving her to you, I spent a decade with Niko,” Count Merlin said, reminiscing about the past with some wistfulness. Because of his smoking hobby, he specifically cultivated a Tobacco Sprite.

Thus Niko was born.

It wasn’t until Russell came to celebrate his birthday and smoked a more prestigious cigar that he was willing to give Niko to Russell.

“I understand Niko. What Niko is trying to communicate to you might not be about selling Rain Dragon Cigars further afield, but rather about sharing the magic of the cigars with more people… Go back and start scaling up the production of both the Mist and Frost series,” advised Count Merlin.

He paused for a moment.

Count Merlin smiled and said, “I’ll place an order for all of your expanded production of the Frost series in the name of Red Castle to entertain foreign dignitaries.”

With his grandfather’s guidance, Russell quickly returned to Cigar Castle.

Then he communicated with Niko carefully to confirm that indeed she didn’t want to sell Rain Dragon Cigars further away, but rather wanted more people to smoke them—only the Mist and Frost Series were within Niko’s sphere of influence.

“This will be easy to manage,” Russell breathed a sigh of relief.

He immediately had someone call Hans, the person in charge of the Cigar Factory. As soon as Hans appeared, he knelt down and kissed Russell’s shoes, “Hans pays his respects to the master!”

“No need for such formality, Hans,” Russell spoke warmly, “how much of the magic tobacco in our fields was used to make the Mist and Frost series?”

“Back to the master, the magic tobacco leaves are split between leaf and other parts; everything else is used to extract magic potions and almost twenty percent of the tobacco leaves are reserved for rolling the Mist and Frost,” replied Hans.

“Hmm,” Russell stroked his chin, “does the magic potion workshop have any stockpile of magic tobacco leaves?”

“There shouldn’t be much left in stock,” Hans shook his head.

“Then, from this season onward, let’s allocate forty percent, no, fifty percent of the tobacco leaves from the Tobacco Magic Medicine Field… No, if you’re unwilling to risk the child, you can’t trap the wolf. Hans, use all of this year’s magic tobacco leaves for cigar production!”

For Niko’s evolution, Russell decided to forego the magic potions and go all-in, using all the magic tobacco leaves for cigar manufacturing.

If there was not enough magic potion in the castle, they would borrow some from the Fluorescent Fungi Family, the Rainflower Family, or even directly from Princess Anxia—if Red Castle was still under her reign.